There is an ever-growing demand for materials suitable for killing harmful microorganisms. Such materials could be used to coat surfaces of common objects touched by people to render them antiseptic so as to prevent transmission of bacterial infections or to facilitate the killing of microorganisms in solution.
Various polycations are known to have bactericidal properties. However, their bactericidal properties can be strongly influenced by whether the polycation or a composition containing the polycation is soluble. In some instances the bactericidal property is most apparent in an insoluble form, which is not particularly amenable to killing microorganisms. In other instances the bactericidal activity is lost when the polycation is cross-linked or otherwise rendered insoluble. Application of bactericidal polymers may also be limited by their use in brushes, their insolubility in solution, or by their unfavorable biocompatibility characteristics. Accordingly, there is a need for bactericidal formulations possessing having improved bactericidal, hydrophilicity/wettability and biocompatibility characteristics suitable for rendering materials or areas bactericidal and for killing airborne and/or waterborne microorganisms.